Residence Life Specialist for Equity Initiatives (Residence Life Specialist)

HOUSING (IA-HDEP-IUINA)

The Office of Housing and Residence Life, within the Division of Student Affairs, provides housing for 2,400 residents offering students an on-campus urban living experience. We create living environments designed to foster educational success and personal growth through social and academic programs, events, and numerous leadership opportunities. On-campus housing communities create a sense of belonging and fellowship that comes with living on-campus among a community of peers. Housing and Residence Life also serves a wide range of campus and community partners through summer conferences and guest housing that directly impact employer recruitment efforts across the city and support engagement and college prep efforts to support student success and recruitment.

Candidates should embody the values of the IUPUI Division of Student Affairs: diversity, student-centeredness, learning, collaboration, community, integrity, and excellence. IUPUI, the Division of Student Affairs, and Housing and Residence Life are committed to diversity among our students, staff, and faculty and value the educational benefits flowing from such diversity.

Through a lens of equity and inclusion, this position is responsible for creating a living learning environment which contributes to the personal and academic success of residents through collaboration with students, staff, and faculty. This position operates under the direction of the Assistant Director for Residence Life and is responsible for supervision of our Social Justice Resident Assistants (SJRAs), supporting our identity-based student organization and providing guidance on equity-based initiatives within Housing and Residence Life.

Department-Specific Responsibilities

• Initiates and fosters student leadership opportunities, personal responsibility, and respect for others. 
• Frequently interacts with students on an individual and group basis; listens to concerns and issues, advises students on programs and initiatives across the university that may help with academic goals and/or student engagement, and recommends resources for students in crisis or facing adversity. 
• Addresses and resolves student behavioral problems within our residential communities through the IU Indianapolis Bias Incident Protocol. 
• Communicates, interprets and administers residence hall rules, as well as student code of conduct via our Supervisor on Call protocol. 
• May assist with hall councils, oversight of student desk operations, and liaising with unit and campus partners.
• Manages and develops existing social justice initiatives and development of new initiatives that create an equitable and inclusive environment for students and staff.
• Supervises 4 Social Justice Resident Assistants (SJRAs) undergraduate students in each residential community who facilitate educational experiences related to social justice for their residents and RA peers. 
• Manages weekly staff meetings, performs 1:1 meetings with each SJRA, tracks curriculum initiatives (attendance, scheduling, program shopping, etc.), provides overall support of the SJRA program through assessment, and performs annual reviews of initiatives.
• Collaborates with the Residence Life Specialist for Academic Initiatives to develop, execute, and assess SJRA initiatives through our residential curriculum.
• Collaborates with the Residence Life Specialist for Leadership Initiatives to co-support the Housing Organization for Multicultural Engagement (HOME) in enhancing identity-based programs and support resources for students of color in Housing and Residence Life.
• Holds educational and accountability conversations with students involved with bias incidents for all 4 residential communities as assigned by the Assistant Director of Residence Life, Student Success, including appropriate documentation and follow up.
• Supports Housing Organization for Multicultural Engagement (HOME) in providing guidance on identity-based and equity-centered programming (i.e. cultural month celebrations, panels, signature events, etc.). 
• Facilitates training and ongoing learning for all student staff with the Residence Life Coordinators and broader Housing and Residence Life. 
• Organizes access to cultural heritage month celebrations and connect residence life students and staff to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiatives on campus.
• Manages big picture planning and assessment of the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (I.D.E.A.) Lounge (located in Riverwalk Apartments) and supervises the I.D.E.A. Suite Manager (equity initiatives student staff member).
• Builds intentional partnerships with resources on campus that support the holistic development of residential students and collaborating on initiatives that center Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
• Serves in the Supervisor On-Call rotation responding to after-hours residence life emergencies, crisis management and student support.

General Responsibilities

• Establishes and maintains a positive residential community that supports and enhances the educational mission of the university through developmental and social programs, personal student contacts, and the fostering of faculty-student interaction. Initiates and fosters student leadership opportunities, personal responsibility, and respect for others.
• Frequently interacts with students on an individual and group basis; listens to concerns and issues, advises students on programs and initiatives across the university that may help with academic goals and/or student engagement, and recommends resources for students in crisis or facing adversity.
• Addresses and resolves student behavioral problems within assigned hall(s)/unit(s) and documents and reports incidents to manager, student conduct staff, or law enforcement as appropriate, maintaining confidentiality and university policy and procedures.
• Coordinates and delegates hall administrative tasks, including room changes, and programming account expenditures.
• Communicates, interprets, and administers residence hall rules and regulations as well as the student code of conduct and other relevant university policies.
• Responds to and resolves resident, guest, parent/guardian, and other stakeholder concerns or complaints. Responds to and assists with the management of building-wide emergencies or crisis situations.
• Provides day-to-day supervision of live-in student staff members and assists with selection, training, and evaluation.
• May assist with housing application review, housing assignments, and housing reassignments. May assist with hall councils, oversight of student desk operations, and liaising with unit and campus partners.

Combinations of related education and experience may be considered. Education beyond the minimum required may be substituted for work experience. Work experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted for education.  

EDUCATION

Required

• Master's Degree in higher education student affairs, counseling, or closely related field. 

LICENCES AND CERTIFICATES

Preferred

• Valid driver's license with the ability to be insured by Indiana University upon date of hire. 

SKILLS

Required

• Proficient communication skills.
• Maintains a high degree of professionalism.
• Demonstrated time management and priority setting skills.
• Demonstrates a high commitment to quality.
• Possesses flexibility to work in a fast paced, dynamic environment.
• Seeks to acquire knowledge in area of specialty.
• Demonstrated analytical skills.
• Demonstrated problem solving skills.

This role requires the ability to effectively communicate and to operate a computer and other standard office productivity equipment. The position involves sedentary work as well as periods of time moving around an office environment and the campus. The person in this role must be able to perform the essential functions with or without an accommodation.

Indianapolis, Indiana

For full-time staff employees, Indiana University offers a wide array of benefits including:

• Multiple plan options for medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Health Savings Account with generous IU contribution
• Life insurance, LTD, and AD&D options
• Base retirement plan contribution from IU, subject to vesting
• Additional supplemental retirement plan options
• Tuition benefit for IU classes
• 10 paid holidays per year
• Generous Paid Time Off
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Learn more about our benefits by reviewing our online Benefits Brochure .

Career Level: Core

FLSA: Exempt

Job Function: Student Services

Job Family: Residence Life

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This posting is scheduled to close at 11:59 pm EST on the advertised Close Date. This posting may be closed at any time at the discretion of the University, but will remain open for a minimum of 5 business days. To guarantee full consideration, please submit your application within 5 business days of the Posted Date.

If you wish to include a cover letter, you may include it with your resume when uploading attachments.

Indiana University is an equal employment and affirmative action employer and a provider of ADA services. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment based on individual qualifications. Indiana University prohibits discrimination based on age, ethnicity, color, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, disability status or protected veteran status. Indiana University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its educational programs and activities, including employment and admission, as required by Title IX. Questions or complaints regarding Title IX may be referred to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights or the university Title IX Coordinator. See Indiana University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination here which includes contact information .

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, containing policy statements, crime and fire statistics for all Indiana University campuses, is available online . You may also request a physical copy by emailing IU Public Safety at [email protected] or by visiting IUPD.

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